Am I crazy to think...

Hello everyone, I have very little martial arts experience, but I humbly request your advice on my MA desires.

Can I honestly achieve my desired goals by getting blackbelts in KM and HKD. I know this all depends on the instructor, and each dojo is different. But let's assume the future instructors I find in these styles are excellent.

My martial arts goals are this: To be able to defend myself from untrained attackers who may or may not be stronger than me. I really don't have the desire to compete in MA/mma tournaments. I also want to learn the fancy hip throws and joint locks to teach men about life concepts. For example: (from my small jiujitsu experience) One has to lower himself/bend his knees to successfully execute hip throws. So one can use this as an analogy to say: a possible tactic of dealing with ones enemy is humility. I know that the fancy locks and throws would be hard to use in a real life situation. I would make this fact very clear to my students. Hence why I would have the KM to supplement for street defense. Now I believe studying a striking art and a wrestling art would have the most effecient way to learn self defense, because the aliveness training in these arts is excellent. (Again under the assumption that the instructors are good) But my desire is to invest a lot of time in HKD in order to teach and have discussions about life one day. So my quesstion is: If my goal is just basic self defense against average bigger drunk guy, would I be rediculous to study KM and HKD for a long time (say five years for both?) Or am I just fooling myself, and just study the striking art and the wrestling art. I sincerely welcom your thoughts.

Have you started you're FTO program yet? You'll find that a bunch of the stuff you learn in the academy won't work very well, if at all against a drunk, or drugged out, non-compliant offender. I admit though, I was in the academy in 95. I have no idea what they teach now.

Go get a degree in philosophy, and talk about life with whomever you wish to include future students. While you're in school, enroll in the boxing, and judo programs for free (or so I've heard) for enrolled students.

Then round it out with bjj (gi and no gi). Not sure 'bout bjj classes in college though. You probably will have to pay for that one.

Even better... major in business, and minor in philosophy. Sounds like you want to run your own school/gym anyway.

The Greek philosopher referred to in English as “Plato” got his nickname, Plátōn, from his wrestling coach. Clearly it stuck, and apparently a philosopher (still cited after 2400 years) can’t go wrong with wrestling. If you feel absolutely compelled to center your martial arts on silly platitudes, consider that shooting for a double entails briefly kneeling before your opponent. Maybe you can turn the singlet into some inane remark about simplicity.